What can be some tips to increase donor engagement?

Donor engagement is the latest buzzword in fundraising, and rightly so. Engaging your donors means retaining them for long durations, resulting in a connected donor base and higher lifetime value (LTV) of donors. Here are some tips to keep your donors engaged with the cause and your organization:

• The more they know, the more they care: Engage donors by sharing more information about your work, the cause, the community, stories from the field, impact stories- all in the form of engaging content in various forms (emails, social media, direct mail) depending on donor segment and their preferences.
• Personalize the messaging: Very important to make your donors feel special.
• Thank them profusely: Say thanks often. Articulate and share what their support means to the organization and the community, and what they have been making possible.
• Stay in touch: Touch base with them often, not only to ask or report, but also to check in and get feedback, wish them on their birthdays, anniversaries, and festivals. Treat them with respect and care.
• Organize events and involve them: In times of the pandemic, virtual events are the norm. Plan and organize virtual events in an interactive manner, invite your donors and engage them to build deeper connections.
• Give them options: Most of the super-engaged donors want to do more for the cause they are connected to give options to do so. These options can be mentoring, volunteering, becoming advocates and spreading the word in their networks, etc.